


A Lifes Work

by trancecalledlove



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/M, Gay, Homophobia, M/M, Rating will change, Teen Angst, Teenagers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-05
Updated: 2017-01-05
Packaged: 2018-09-15 03:06:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9216020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trancecalledlove/pseuds/trancecalledlove
Summary: Alternate Universe of Rhett and Link through the years, from High School to present day. Story takes you from the first confession of feelings, through college and their marriages, to the present day. Follows the original story of their lives fairly closely, but they are in love with each other. The rating will change.





	1. Youth

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfiction every. I have always wanted to write, but have always been way too scared to. This is basically my fantasy version of Rhett and Links relationship. I am going to post the first two chapters, and may post more if it seems to go well. The rating will defiantly change in that case. Enjoy!

The glare of the sun was searing Link’s eyes. He held one hand up in a feeble attempt to block the light. Rhett was relaxed across to him on the large rock, having the benefit of the sun hitting his tanned back. His basketball jersey sat crumbled on the grassy field beside him, stripped off as soon as they got out into the heat that fell onto the cow pasture.

Link was trying to pay attention to what Rhett was saying, but had too much trouble not allowing his mind to wander as his eyes graze across Rhett's toned upper body. The muscles on his arms moved as he talked with his hands, his abs taught as he kept himself at a 45 degree angle on the rock. Link was pretty sure he was going on about a girl in one of Rhett’s classes. 

They had started High School a week ago, and Rhett was pretty obsessed with the girls. It wasn't that Link didn't like girls. He enjoyed having a girlfriend. He had finally gotten over the first bought of shyness and was able to actually have some fun hanging out with a girlfriend. What link couldn't figure out was what the big appeal was. Sure having a girlfriend was fine, but sitting here, in this pasture with Rhett…that was how Link wanted to spend his days. He didn't know what this meant. He had heard the word “gay” being whispered in disgust, had heard his pastor preach about the sins of homosexuality. But was that what this is? This love for his best friend. On the occasion that Link had allowed his mind to wander to the startling depths of his consciousness, allowed himself to imagine the feel of Rhett's lips on his, his large hands on his waist, the slight stubble of the beginning of a beard scrapping again his own hairless jaw, any time Link thought of this it terrified him, disgusted him. But not because it didn't sound appealing, wonderful, magical. It was because it did. Sitting here on the small rock listening to Rhett, watching his mouth move, his tongue dart out on occasion, Link felt like he was suffocating. What could he do? He had tried ignoring these dark thoughts, had tried throwing himself into a relationship, trying to forget about Rhett, but it always came back to him. His buzzed head, long fingers, his…

“Link? LINK! Whats with you man? Have you been listening to anything that I have been saying?” Link’s head shot up, jarred out of his thoughts.

“Yeah man, Crystal, she's hot.” Link raked a hand thru his brown floppy hair, trying to shake off his thoughts of Rhett. “You should go for her, man.”

“I was talking about Sandra from English. What is with you today? You've been out of it since we got to the rocks” 

“Im just over heated, I think”, Link deflected. “The sun is killer this time of year.” 

Standing, Rhett stretched, long arms raising up towards the burning sun, eyes closing as he turned his face to the sky. He was beautiful, and Link was dying. 

“You get like that whenever I go on about a girl. You've never been as into girls as I am”, Rhett chucked as he said the last part.

“Im into girls, man, just not a creepy obsessed guy like you.” Link spat, sounding angrier than he intended. 

Rhett’s hands raised up in self defense, “woah, cool it, Bo. Its not a big deal. I didn't mean it was a bad thing. Just curious.” 

“Of course you meant it was a bad thing. It is a bad thing.” Link looked away then. He couldn't stand to continue looking at his best friend. 

Rhett’s brow furrowed in confusion. Sure, Link wasn't obsessed with girls. So what. What was he going on about it being a “bad thing”? Sitting back down on the big rock, Rhett kicked at Links foot, getting his attention.

Links head snapped up, seeing Rhett back on the big rock. He swallowed hard and then spoke. “Hey, its my turn to talk, move it.”

“Yeah, technically, but I'm not done, Bo.” 

Link’s stomach lurched every time Rhett called him “Bo”. “Fine, whatever, keep talking.”

“What did you mean when you said it was a bad thing?”

Link knew he had said too much. “Just forget it. I didn't mean anything by it. Crystal and Sandra are both hot. Lets go back to that.” 

“Okay up, switch, you get to talk” 

“But you just said you weren’t…” 

“I know what I said. But you should talk” Rhett jumped up off the rock, nudging Link with his foot. “Go on, man, you're up.” 

Link grumbled under his breath, but took his place on the big rock. Rhett didn't fit as well on the small rock, but he managed. 

“So the test in Mr. Marifields, thats going to be killer.” 

Rhett dropped the talk about girls, instead going along with Links new choice of conversation. Another day he will try and get Link to talk.


	2. Confusion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhett and Link spend some time at the river. After an awkward encounter, Rhett spends some time considering their friendship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2. These beginning chapters are short, and don't contain a ton of action. As the story progresses, that will change.

Eight days later Rhett and Link found themselves down at the the river after a hot and long day at school. Link was wadding in the shallow part of the water, watching as his bare feet kicked up the surface of the river bed, leaving a murky trail behind him. Rhett was sitting on a green patch of grass, drying off after having dove into the cool water immediately upon arrival. Neither boy had brought up their talk about girls in the pasture. Link certainly did not want to, and Rhett could tell. But as much as Rhett didn't want to make Link mad, he was curious. 

Sitting up straight, Rhett called out to Link, “You know its cool if you aren't crazy about girls. Some dudes just don't have a high sex drive. Its natural. I was watching a documentary about sex in the animal kingdom and it was saying that some animals…”

“It has nothing to do with sex drive Rhett.” Link sneered, wading further away.

“Okay fine. Im just trying to make you feel comfortable. You are so touchy about it. Chill, dude.” Rhett said, laying back down in the grass. 

Link made his way out of the water, using his hands to wring out his boxers the best he could with them still on. He sat down near Rhett’s feet. “Im fine. Don't worry about it. Im not as girl crazy as you. See. I said it, I'm not touchy about it.” 

Rhett studied him carefully. He was looking out at the water. His shoulders were relaxed. A slight smile on his face. He seemed fine. Smiling, Rhett slowly brought his legs up, sitting up and crouching on his feet. 

“AHHHHHHHH!” Rhett yelled in a fake war cry, pouncing on link, tackling him. 

“Ouf! Rhett! Get off man. I mean it. We are too old to be wrestling.” Link had tried to stop Rhett from wrestling with him for months now. Being that close to Rhett had just become too much. Rhett didn't listen this time, though. Pining Link to the ground. 

“Cant. Im dead.” 

“Rhett! Seriously, you are huge. Get off!” 

“I’m dead.” 

Link squirmed under him. Pushing with all of his might, but Rhett was too large. He tried to ignore how good his body felt pressed up against him. They were both wearing nothing but their boxers, and Rhetts skin was warm against Links. It was too much. Rhett moved slightly and thats when he felt it. 

“Link.. are you…” 

Link gritted his teeth, face turning a bright shade of red. “I said. Get. Off.” He intended on sounding firm and serious, but it came out more as begging. 

Rhett listened this time, pushing himself up and off of Link. Link was up on his feet in the blink of an eye, and turning away to grab his jeans and get them on. Rhett had caught a glance at what he had felt though, and saw the unmistakeable bulge in the front of Links boxers. Rhett turned away, blushing but not sure why. He grabbed his jeans and t-shirt from the nearby rock he had thrown them over. Just as he was pulling his shirt over his head, he heard the skid of tires and looked over to see Link racing away on his bike. 

That night Rhett laid on his bed, staring at the empty top bunk above him. The scene at the river kept replaying in his mind. At first he was just confused about Link’s reaction. Then he chalked it up to a natural response. Uncontrollable. But as Rhett continued to lay there, he couldn't stop thinking about what Link had said about girls. That it was a “bad thing” that he wasn't as into them. Rhett may have lived in a small, conservative town, but he knew what gay people were. He had heard people talking, but it was always said as a bad thing. A bad thing. A bad thing. Link couldn't be though. He had dated girls. Kissed girls. But that would explain the instance down at the river. 

Rhett closed his eyes. Links face entered his mind. Link was his best friend. His partner in crime. They had signed a blood oath together. They were going to be friends for the rest of their lives. That didn't mean they were gay though. He tried to imagine standing in front of Link, towering over him. Leaning down slowly, putting his hands on his waist, how he might do with a girl. Carefully closing the distance, pressing his lips to Links… 

Rhett’s eyes flew open and Link was gone, replaced by the underside of the bunk. 

The image of kissing Link had been jarring. And Terrifying. But most of all, exciting. Rhett shook his head, rubbed his eyes. Link was his best friend. That was all. But he couldn't deny that they had a closer bond than most. Had it been like this all along and Rhett simply didn't notice? Had he always had…feelings… for Link, and had just brushed it off as them simply being close friends? 

Clearly Link felt something. He got a hard on just from Rhett laying on top of him. But did that mean that he wanted Rhett to kiss him? Rolling over onto his side, Rhett tucked his arm up under his head. Of course they couldn't kiss. They lived in Buies-freaking-Creek. Homosexuality was a sin. Or at least thats what had been preached to him in church. But why. God loved his people. He created love. Sure he made Adam and Eve, but that was just because they had to populate the earth. Now, the earth is over populated. So why would God care if a couple of guys loved each other? 

Rolling back over onto this back, Rhett made the decision to talk to Link tomorrow. They would go back to the pasture and talk. Figure this out. Tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter up! Let me know what you guys think.

**Author's Note:**

> My first attempt at fanfiction. Reviews and constructive criticism is welcomed!


End file.
